Brigham City Temple

     We had the privilege of participating in the dedication of this temple last Sunday.

Washington D.C. Temple

Washington D.C. Temple

     This is where John and Soona were sealed.

Remember Remember

Read Elder Bowen's full address.

O remember, remember…

                …remember that there is no other way nor means whereby man can be saved, only through the atoning blood of Jesus Christ.

see Helaman 5:9

Thankful for Honesty and Integrity

A Test of Integrity

     “Perhaps the surest test of an individual's integrity,” President Monson says, “is his refusal to do or say anything that would damage his self-respect.”

  

     President Monson has also counseled that the principle of honesty is not outdated. Rather, it is particularly important in our world today.

     “In our time,” he says, “when otherwise honorable men bend the law, twist the law, and wink at violations of the law, when crime goes unpunished, legally imposed sentences go unserved, and irresponsible and illegal conduct soars beyond previously recorded heights, there is a very real need to return to the basic justice that the laws provide when honest men sustain them.”

--President Monson in Honesty Is Best

Come and See

Come and See, by Liz Lemon Swindle

A Message from the Artist 

     When I was painting in April 2008, I paid little attention to the stock market or the world at large. Who could have imagined then that we would witness the implosion of the world’s economic systems, the collapse of century-old institutions, and the loss of millions of people’s life savings. It seemed everything we put our confidence in was taken away – literally overnight. Surely these are the times Jesus spoke of when He said, “Men’s hearts [will] fail them.” – Luke 21:26.

     Each day as bad news piled up, I found myself longing to be one of those disciples in the painting. To walk with Jesus and feel the peace and joy as they did. One particularly difficult day a thought came to me. I didn’t need to go to the shores of Galilee to walk with the Savior and find His peace, none of us do. We can each feel it right here and right now, no matter how uncertain these times become. Did He not promise us?

     “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid… ye now therefore have sorrow: but I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no man taketh from you.” – John 14:27; 16:24

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A Blast From The Past:

Put your hand in the hand of the man who stilled the water (stilled the water)

Put your hand in the hand of the man who calmed the sea (calmed the sea)

Take a look at yourself and you can look at others differently

By puttin' your hand in the hand of the man from Gallilee.

Ev'ry time I look into the Holy Book I want to tremble (tremble)

When I read about the part where the carpenter cleared the temple (temple)

For the buyers and the sellers were no different fellas

Than what I profess to be

And it causes me shame to know we're not the people we should be.

So put your hand in the hand of the man who stilled the water

Put your hand in the hand of the man who calmed the sea

Take a look at yourself and-a you can look at others differently

By putting your hand in the hand of the man from-a Gallilee.

My mama taught me how to pray before I reached the age of seven

She said, "There'll come a time when there'll probably be room in heaven"

But I'm feeling kinda of guilty 'bout the number of times

To do what we must do

Oh we forget what he said when we figured that he'd still make room 

(So, you gotta)

Put your hand in the hand of the man who stilled the water

Put your hand in the hand of the man who calmed the sea

Take a look at yourself and-a you can look at others differently

By puttin' your hand in the hand of the man from Gallilee. 

(everybody come along)

Put your hand in the hand of the man who stilled the water (stilled the water)

Put your hand in the hand of the man who calmed the sea (calmed the sea)

Take a look at yourself and you can look at others differently

By putting your hand in the hand of the man from Gallilee.

Service and Sacrifice

     The Savior Suffers in Gethsemane

     The Savior is a wonderful example of service and sacrifice.  I think about all the people he healed.  I marvel that he sacrificed to save me.

     Not all that he healed expressed gratitude.  Others he would instruct to "tell no man," but they did the opposite.  So, how is it with us?  Do we expect more from others when we give various acts of service, or do we follow the Savior's pattern of continuous service regardless of how our service is received?

     Jesus said, "The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head."  While in the Garden of Gethsemane, our Savior asked " O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.”  He partook of the bitter cup to save us.  He offered himself a sacrifice for sin.

     May we strive to lose ourselves in the service of others and offer our lives a sacrifice for Jesus.  We are only serving the Lord when we serve others.  I testify that I feel closer to the Savior when I sacrifice and serve.

Spirit of Revelation

Patterns of Light, Part III

Based on a talk entitled "The Spirit of Revelation"

Sister CHERYL A. ESPLIN taught the following in Teaching Our Children to Understand:

     In a latter-day revelation through the Prophet Joseph Smith, the Lord instructs parents to teach their children to understand the doctrine of repentance, faith in Christ, baptism, and the gift of the Holy Ghost. Notice the Lord doesn’t just say we are to “teach the doctrine”; His instructions are to teach our children to “understand the doctrine.” (See D&C 68:25, 28; emphasis added.)

     In Psalms we read, “Give me understanding, and I shall keep thy law; yea, I shall observe it with my whole heart” (Psalm 119:34).

     Teaching our children to understand is more than just imparting information. It’s helping our children get the doctrine into their hearts in a way that it becomes part of their very being and is reflected in their attitudes and behavior throughout their lives.

     Nephi taught that the role of the Holy Ghost is to carry the truth “unto the hearts of the children of men” (2 Nephi 33:1). Our role as parents is to do all we can to create an atmosphere where our children can feel the influence of the Spirit and then help them recognize what they are feeling.

     President Harold B. Lee taught, “Without experiencing a gospel principle in action, it is … more difficult to believe in that principle” (Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Harold B. Lee [2000], 121).

     I first learned to pray by kneeling with my family in family prayer. I was taught the language of prayer as I listened to my parents pray and as they helped me say my first prayers. I learned that I could talk to Heavenly Father and ask for guidance.

     Every morning without fail, my mother and father gathered us around the kitchen table before breakfast, and we knelt in family prayer. We prayed at every meal. In the evening before bed, we knelt together in the living room and closed the day with family prayer.

     Although there was much I didn’t understand about prayer as a child, it became such a part of my life that it stayed with me. I still continue to learn, and my understanding of the power of prayer still continues to grow.

     Elder Jeffrey R. Holland said, “We all understand that the success of the gospel message depends upon its being taught and then understood and then lived in such a way that its promise of happiness and salvation can be realized” (“Teaching and Learning in the Church” [worldwide leadership training meeting, Feb. 10, 2007], Liahona, June 2007, 57;Ensign, June 2007, 89).

     Learning to fully understand the doctrines of the gospel is a process of a lifetime and comes “line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little and there a little” (2 Nephi 28:30). 

Discerning Light

Patterns of Light, Part II

     As a teenager, I loved winter.  My time was spent in downhill skiing.  Friends and I would always search for the drop-off or mogul where we could catch the most air.  We thrilled to be up in the air.

      I was hit by a car while riding my bike home from work last October.  The impact broke several ribs and ruptured vertebral discs.  As I was catapulting over the speeding car, the old familiar sense of “catching air” came to me and I marveled, “I caught a lot of air!” 

     I feel this was the comfort given to me from on high so I could bear what was happening.  The recollection of a happy time helped me survive the moment.  I bear testimony that God loves us and watches over us.  He communicates with us as appropriate.

     My wife was listening to the following song the other night:

"You Raise Me Up"

When I am down and, oh my soul, so weary;
When troubles come and my heart burdened be;
Then, I am still and wait here in the silence,
Until you come and sit awhile with me.

You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains;
You raise me up, to walk on stormy seas;
I am strong, when I am on your shoulders;
You raise me up... To more than I can be.

You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains;
You raise me up, to walk on stormy seas;
I am strong, when I am on your shoulders;
You raise me up... To more than I can be.

There is no life - no life without its hunger;
Each restless heart beats so imperfectly;
But when you come and I am filled with wonder,
Sometimes, I think I glimpse eternity.

You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains;
You raise me up, to walk on stormy seas;
I am strong, when I am on your shoulders;
You raise me up... To more than I can be.

You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains;
You raise me up, to walk on stormy seas;
I am strong, when I am on your shoulders;
You raise me up... To more than I can be.

You raise me up... To more than I can be.

The Light of Christ

Patterns of Light, Part I

     

     I love patterns.  They help me see things in a better perspective and assist me in putting my life in order.  I read the following pattern this morning on Connie Firmin's blog: 

      "One promise I stumbled upon this morning is found in James 4:8 (the first part):  “Come close to God, and God will come close to you.”  If you don’t eat, you get hungry, right?  Same way with our spiritual lives.  When we do not take the time to “come close to God”, emptiness sets in, hunger takes over, and we begin to look for anything to fill up on.  We start trying to satisfy our emptiness with junk instead of healthy options.  This is where trouble can come right in the front door of our lives.

So in summary, if you are hungry, go eat!  Share your journey with other trustworthy friends in your life so they can pray for you and walk with you.  Sometimes just being honest with those around you can help.  Dig in and load up on God’s Word.  It’s full of promises that will fill the bare places inside.  Lastly, but most importantly, if you find yourself empty, talk with God about it.  As you draw near to Him, you will begin to hear His soothing whisper, and you’ll be full in no time."

Thankful for Christ, His Gospel, and His Church

“If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.”

     I am thankful that I have hope in Christ for the eternities.  I am grateful for his grace.  I am indebted to his mercy.  I owe Him everything.

     "As we obey the commandments and live the gospel fully, we will be protected and blessed."

     "The ultimate end of all activity in the Church is to see a husband and his wife and their children happy at home, protected by the principles and laws of the gospel, sealed safely in the covenants of the everlasting priesthood. Husbands and wives should understand that their first calling—from which they will never be released—is to one another and then to their children."

It's Great, Except for ...

     Our Sunday School teacher mentioned this poster this past Sunday.  Often we justify the movies we watch, the music we listen to, or the print we read by telling ourselves "it is really good, except for this one small part ..."  Many aspects of our lives can be compromised by such an attitude, such as how we drive.  May we ask ourselves, "What would Jesus do?"

Who’s on the Lord’s Side, Who?

Sharing Your Beliefs

     As I begin my second year of this blog, I bear my testimony that God lives and loves us.  His beloved son is Jesus the Christ, Jehovah of olden time, our Savior who saves us with his grace.  The Holy Ghost will guide all those earnestly striving to know and live truth.

     President Thomas S. Monson said, “This great cause in which we are engaged will continue to go forth, changing and blessing lives as it does so. No cause, no force in the entire world can stop the work of God. Despite what comes, this great cause will go forward. You recall the prophetic words of the Prophet Joseph Smith: ‘No unhallowed hand can stop the work from progressing; persecutions may rage, mobs may combine, armies may assemble, calumny may defame, but the truth of God will go forth boldly, nobly, and independent, till it has penetrated every continent, visited every clime, swept every country, and sounded in every ear, till the purposes of God shall be accomplished, and the Great Jehovah shall say the work is done.’

     There is much that is difficult and challenging in the world today, my brothers and sisters, but there is also much that is good and uplifting. As we declare in our thirteenth article of faith, “If there is anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy, we seek after these things.” May we ever continue to do so.”